Tracy L. Bell, Author/Host

“Bernice King Leaves Bishop Eddie Long’s Church”

Unable to come to terms with her pastor’s secret lifestyle, Bernice King has left her position at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, according to the AJC.

King, 48, the youngest and only surviving daughter of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, left her position as an elder on Sunday just days after Bishop Eddie Long and the church settled lawsuits brought by 4 men who say he coerced them with gifts, clothing and trips in exchange for sex.

King was an impassioned opponent of gay rights and gay marriage in particular. In 2004, King and Long walked side by side during a march against gay marriage that ended at the Martin Luther King grave site.

It is supposedly well-known in the lesbian community that King is not empathetic toward gays and lesbians. It has been long rumored that Bernice, who never married, is an undercover lesbian herself. Just because she’s not married doesn’t constitute her being a lesbian though. I’m not married YET and I’m not gay! Far from it.

In a report written by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Long was called “one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement.” In one sermon, he says to gays and lesbians, “God says you deserve death!”

Long’s New Birth Missionary Baptist mega church once had a membership of 25,000. But at the 8 a.m. service on the Sunday following news of the settlement, the congregation numbered in the hundreds.

only surviving daughter? when did bernice die?
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Yolanda Kind died a couple of years ago, they use to call her yolly. She was Dr. King’s oldest daughter and 1st of the sublings to go.

You gotta be bitter and broken to NOT understand the homosexual lifetsyle.
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WHY does not being an advocate of gay/lesbian relationships imply that you’re “bitter and broken”? Homosexuals always feel like people are supposed to accept and understand their lifestyle. And then act a pure-ty donkey when it doesn’t happen that way. I don’t have anything against a person who is gay/lesbian…but I do not agree w/the lifestyle. Point blank period.

I know plenty of gay people/couples and to be honest, I have never had the conversation w/them concerning whether or not they accept my lifestyle. But at the same time, I am not acting a fool because they don’t choose to live the way I live; I’m not constantly shoving it down their throats trying to make them understand or accept that the way I live is the way I live. And nothing about them being gay changes our friendship. I don’t judge them…I just don’t agree with it.

Being Gay is no different than any other sin in the bible, if you belive in the bilble, then all sinners gone burn in hell, so if your life is not right, judging a gay or lesbian, aint gone save you..# justsayin

WHy can’t people say they dont like/ agree with Homosexual relationships?
It doesnt matter if you’ve ever met a gay person that doesn’t accept Hetro. You can’t force some one to change their beliefs. Oh you like that let me change my life so we can all think alike.

@Daisy, I fele ya. It’s still an interesting discussion and it’s interesting to hear both sides on this topic to me. My best friend is a gay man so I’m all about gay rights and supporting the gay community but I’m not going to hate on anyone who doesn’t feel the same way. We still have a long way to go in terms of tolerance and acceptance. We might have to accept that we’ll never quite reach that point in this lifetime or the next

Are we saying accept that it exists or accept that there is nothing wrong with with being gay?

I’m one of those that believes the latter but not everyone agrees. And they don’t have to as long as they are respectful/not hateful.

I think it’s just as intolerant to tell someone that they should just “accept” homosexuality and never disagree with any aspect of it. As long as they are not gay-bashing and causing pain to others, they can feel how they want imo.

They rise and fall.. the money fame celebrity can be taken away so easily, this goes for all. At the end of the day you dont need all these riches, its ok to be modest. Thank God for Jesus he still love you BEL, now go ahead and regroup away from it all

Washington DC – The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans, is outraged that Bishop Eddie Long has settled his sexual abuse case out of court. The accusations of the four teenage boys in this case are too serious to not be brought to light – Bishop Long himself even asserted that he would fight the case to prove his innocence.

The truth was not illuminated. Justice was not achieved.

Despite the fact that Bishop Long is not an NBCI member, we monitor the behavior of all clergy as it reflects on the Church as a whole. Christian leaders must set an example of the moral code preached to the faithful – abuse cannot be tolerated. This case, combined with the decades of scandals within the Catholic Church, tarnishes the reputation of the Church. Pope Benedict XVI has admitted that “the greatest persecution of the church doesn’t come from enemies on the outside but is born from the sin within the church.” The Protestant Church cannot afford to experience the same breach of trust, scandalous abuse of power and lack of transparency. Bishop Long’s refusal to adjudicate this case in the court system is a glaring illustration of guilt – one that the church cannot afford to endorse.

Rev. Anthony Evans, President of NBCI says, “”NBCI does not hesitate to condemn clergy who abuse the trust given to them by their parishioners. We have worked diligently to partner with organizations to prevent abuse and counsel the abused – SNAP, the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests, is doing particularly good work to protect those abused by the faith-based community. We de-fellowship Bishop Long and his church for three years for condoning this behavior – we can ill afford to allow abusers in the House of God. His position, after time, should be restored by members of his congregation.”

About NBCI

The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 34,000 African American and Latino churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment. NBCI’s mission is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants, churches and the public. NBCI offers faith-based, out-of-the-box and cutting edge solutions to stubborn economic and social issues. NBCI’s programs are governed by credible statistical analysis, science based strategies and techniques, and methods that work. Visit our website at http://www.naltblackchurch.com.
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well damn @Rev, you serious? If you fa real it’s all good but you do know the black church has got a bad wrap right about now right? And the B.E.L. fiasco didn’t make it any better. so by all means, ya’ll do what you gotta do.

Um @Trace, can we get a new post please. You don attracted a preacher up in diss tip. Bad enuff we already got Rezzie!

We de-fellowship Bishop Long and his church for three years for condoning this behavior – we can ill afford to allow abusers in the House of God. His position, after time, should be restored by members of his congregation.”
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Really @ Rev, you think so? Bishop Eddie Longstroke is basically done! So we can just stick a fork in his gay ass. Excuse me Rev, no disrespect, just keeping it real!